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A South Carolina Elementary School principal, Wendy Cook, was discovered dead in a car on the morning of August 21. The victim's body was found in the car while the suspect, Kyle Church, was still present within the vehicle.
The 54-year-old Wendy Cook served as the principal of Stewart Height Elementary in the Dillon County Four School District. On Monday, according to Sheriff Douglas Pernell, Coroner Donnie Grimsley determined that her death was a homicide.
Wendy Cook and the suspect allegedly knew each other
Reportedly, authorities were summoned to investigate gunshots at around 3.15 AM at a residence on Southwind Road, near Dillon. Once authorities reached the scene, they detained Kyle Church, 31. Pernell claimed that when deputies arrived at the scene, they discovered Cook and Church were still in the car and that Cook was already dead. A gun was also found inside the vehicle.
At the Dillon County Detention Center, Church is being detained on suspicion of murder and possessing a weapon while committing a violent felony. It wasn't clear if he had a lawyer who could represent him in court.
According to Pernell, Wendy Cook and Kyle Church were allegedly acquaintances. However, the sheriff was unable to confirm further details about the same. He added that he had no idea if Church had been one of Cook's former students.
Wendy Cook served as the elementary school's principal in Dillon County School District 4. According to District 4 Superintendent Ray Rogers, she had been employed by the district for nearly 25 years.
Her brutal and unexpected passing has saddened her coworkers and students. In a statement released late on Monday, state superintendent of education Molly Spearman expressed her sadness over Cook's passing.
She said:
“Her colleagues and friends in Dillon County School District 4 talk about the great work she did leading her school and the many impacts she had on her students and staff. My deepest condolences are with the entire Dillon school community as they grieve this loss.”
Her family also wrote in an online obituary:
"Wendy's love for life, learning, children and family was always her driving force. This was evident in her steadfast march through many degrees and doctrines in Education which yielded over 25 years in this very district. Her dedication across all was only matched by her love of the same."
It further read,
"Every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give up on them. Who understands the power of connection, and insist that they become the best they possibly [can] be. Dr. Wendy Cook was a true champion, and she will live on in each and every one of us."
According to online court records, Kyle Church's subsequent court appearance is listed for October 5.
Based on multiple reports, Church is a pre-existing offender in an ongoing wrongful death act. According to the authorities, Teddy Yarborough was killed in June 2020 when an ATV was struck by a car. Church, who was operating the ATV, and Yarborough, a passenger, were struck by the automobile after Church failed to surrender, as per court filings.
